A/N: Hey y'all! This was written for Hogwarts. Prompts are below :)

Note: Very, very AU. We're pretending Voldemort never made a Horcrux and really died at the Potters', though Peter still escaped and Sirius was still convicted. Also, we're doing the whole Remus-was-registered-at-seventeen thing. :)

Muggle Arts Task 1: Write a fic set at night

Word Count: 4336

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Those rights go to JK Rowling.

Enjoy!

When Remus Lupin opened his eyes, the last thing he thought he'd see was pink.

He frowned slightly and groaned, stretching and screwing his eyes shut again. When he opened them once more, the blob of pink he'd seen was attached to a pale, heart-shaped face, which was peering curiously down at him.

"Wotcher," the young woman greeted. "I'm glad to see you up."

Remus raised a scarred hand to his head, wincing at the pain the movement caused him. "Where am I?" he asked hoarsely.

The woman gave him a small smile. "St. Mungo's. You were in a pretty nasty accident—do you remember?"

Remus thought hard about it, and could vaguely recall driving his beat-up Muggle car through some particularly nasty weather the previous night. He couldn't imagine how he'd ended up at St. Mungo's, though he knew he'd have to leave as soon as possible—there was no way he could pay the bill.

"Just the storm," he admitted. "What happened? And, erm… when can I leave?"

The woman—who couldn't be older than twenty, he thought—laughed a bit at his eagerness. "Mate, I've no idea when you can leave. I'm an Auror, not a Healer. I don't blame you for wanting to get out of here though—terribly dull, hospitals, aren't they?"

Remus hummed in agreement. His brain was still foggy with pain, but he was able to follow the conversation fairly easily.

She continued. "As for what happened, I'm the Auror in charge of the case, Mr. Lupin," she told him, a touch of pride coloring her voice. Her dark eyes widened suddenly. "Oh, Merlin, sorry, I'm Tonks. Auror Tonks. Well, Nymphadora Tonks really, but if you call me that I'll hex you."

Amber eyes shot up to meet hers, and he frowned, confused. "Case? What case?"

Tonks opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, the door to the room opened.

"Tonks, I told you to get me when he woke up. I hope you haven't been interrogating him."

Remus turned to see a tall, broad-shouldered man in Healer robes enter the room. His low voice had a sort of authority in it that booked no room for argument, a trait Remus sometimes wished he possessed. A gold earring glinted in the dim light, sparking a memory from long ago.

Tonks looked at the man sheepishly. "Sorry, Kingsley. But he hasn't been awake long, you know."

Kingsley Shacklebolt, whom Remus could vaguely recall as a Ravenclaw several years above him in school, smiled half-exasperatedly at Tonks. "I hope for your sake that's true. Now, Mr. Lupin." He turned to Remus, pulling out his wand. "I'm your healer, Kingsley Shacklebolt. I'm going to run a few diagnostics, so please lie still."

Remus hesitated. "I'm sure I'm all right, Healer Shacklebolt. I've been hurt worse than this. I should be going, really—"

"Mr. Lupin," Kingsley said sternly, "You're not going anywhere. If it's the money you're worried about—" He shot Remus a knowing look. "—there are programs in place here to help people in your situation. We aren't the Ministry."

Remus' breath caught in his throat. People in his situation. Not beasts, not beings. People. It was such a small thing, and he doubted Kingsley understood what he'd just said, but it had been so long since someone had looked at Remus, knowing what he was, and see something other than a monster.

It was this more than anything that urged him to put his trust in Kingsley, and as the Healer ran the diagnostics spell, Tonks swooped back to his bedside.

"Anyone I should contact for you?" she asked, taking out a notepad to jot down any names or addresses he might give. "I'm sure your friends and family are worried."

Remus cleared his throat uncomfortably as unpleasant memories bubbled to the surface. He sat himself up in bed, ignoring Kingsley's protests. "Ah. No, there isn't."

Kingsley was tactful enough not to look up at the admission, but Tonks didn't seem to have such qualms. She cocked a pink eyebrow. "No one? Parents, friends…?"

Remus winced. "All dead." Except one.

Kingsley stepped in then. "Mr. Lupin, I—Tonks, could you leave for this part?"

The Auror sighed and stood up as she was told, but stumbled briefly by the door. "I still need to talk to him, Shacklebolt, Moody's orders! Don't forget."

Once she was gone, Kingsley sat in the chair Tonks had been using. He handed Remus a small vial with lavender-colored liquid inside. "This will help clear your head. You'll need it, I think."

Remus swallowed it obediently, and his mind became suddenly sharper. He looked up at Kingsley, feeling much more like himself. "Thank you. Could you tell me what happened?"

Kingsley nodded and began.

Remus cursed as the pain outside began to pour down harder and thunder shook the sky. He hated driving in bad weather, but the darkness outside made it ten times harder. Still, he had to get home.

The road he was on was lined with forest on either side, and only occasionally did he pass another vehicle. The radio in his car had long since lost connection, and his tea had gone cold. He regretted taking a job interview that was so far out—and in Muggle regions, no less—now, but the forecast had only predicted a light shower that morning.

He peered through the windshield with narrowed eyes, his headlights not much aid. A dark shape appeared in front of him suddenly, and Remus slammed his foot on the brake, heart in his mouth. The car halted, throwing him against his seatbelt. A flash of lightning revealed that the shadow in his way was a fallen tree.

Remus frowned. The rain was coming down harder than ever, and if trees were falling over… He sighed. He needed to find some nearby shelter for the night before the streets flooded.

He turned the car around and began heading towards his parents' old house. It was closer than his London flat, but he was always hesitant to go—too many memories.

He'd only been driving for about ten minutes when he was hit.

"Another car hit me?" Remus asked when Kingsley was finished explaining. "Then why is Auror Tonks investigating?"

Kingsley stood up. "You're on a lot of pain potions at the moment, but there was some spinal cord damage and head injury, along with more minor breaks and abrasions. Tonks is investigating because there was no sign of the other car—or whatever else hit you. If it was a normal Muggle car accident, there would have been Muggle police and paramedics in the area. We suspect that there's a bit more to this."

Remus shook his head. "There can't be. There's absolutely no reason anyone would want me dead."

Kingsley looked surprised. "You haven't heard? We assumed you were driving away from…" Kingsley trailed off, looking worried. He flicked his wand and a newspaper came racing towards him. He handed it to Remus. "This is from the day before your accident."

Remus opened the newspaper to the front page, curious. What he saw made his throat go dry. There, in black bolded letters, it read:

SIRIUS BLACK ESCAPES FROM AZKABAN

Remus didn't read the article; he knew exactly what it would say. Hands trembling, he dropped the paper into his lap, but he couldn't stop staring at the laughing face printed on the page. "You think he's after me. You think that this is… him."

Kingsley ran a hand over his face. "I'm your Healer, Remus. I know Tonks well, well enough to know that's exactly what she and Moody think… but nothing is certain."

Remus threw the sheets off of himself, breathing quickening. "I need to make sure Harry is okay—"

Kingsley pushed him back into bed. "Harry Potter is fine. There are many Aurors and Dumbledore keeping an eye on him. Tonks and Moody are more concerned about you."

"I'm not—"

"That crash was meant to kill you, Remus," Kingsley interrupted. "This isn't pretend. You're lucky to be alive, and I'd like to keep you that way."

Remus bit his lip. He'd spent so long running away from these memories, he didn't know what to do now that he was being forced to confront them. He ran a hand through his shaggy brown curls, wishing there was a set of instructions he could follow. Sirius Black. Sirius Black was free, and he wanted to kill him…

Remus looked at Kingsley. "How confident are you that Harry will be kept safe?"

The Healer straightened. "If Black managed to get to Harry Potter, I would be very surprised. And that's not something I experience often."

Remus sighed, defeated. "Fine. What does Auror Tonks want of me, exactly?"

Kingsley stood up and brought Remus another potion. "She's been assigned to guard you. You'll be staying here until you're well, but don't worry—I'll make sure you get some privacy as well. The goal is to keep you safe and well."

Remus didn't respond, but he took the potion. As he fell asleep, he wondered what new sort of cage he had gotten himself locked in.

He was driving away from the fallen tree, gritting his teeth against the chill seeping into the car and into his bones. The roads were beginning to flood, which was worrying. He didn't know how much longer his car could go on as it was, but he was hesitant to use magic; the Ministry regulated werewolves' magic enough as it was, but they were particularly strict about their magic in Muggle areas.

It was foolish, in hindsight, to consider working somewhere so far away, but the drive had been much needed at the time. He'd been searching so desperately recently for something to make him feel… alive. Ever since James and Lily died, it was like he was waiting for something big to happen.

He was tired of waiting.

Remus sighed to himself and kept driving, leaning close to the windshield as if that could help him see through it better. Thunder rumbled suddenly, making him jump. He cursed himself for getting so worked up over a storm, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than an ordinary night.

It was odd, though. While these feelings weren't pleasant, his adrenaline was coursing through his veins for the first time since the war. Maybe he missed it, the danger. Or, more likely, that feeling in battle when you knew for certain you were alive and worth something, because you could lose it at any second.

Merlin, he needed a new war to fight.

Then, as though answering his prayer, a bright light from his right overtook the car, blinding Remus.

Remus awoke with a start, his hair stuck to his face with sweat. The hospital sheets were soaked and twisted around his legs, trapping him. He struggled for a minute as his brain caught up with him, heart beating frantically. He heard a door open and looked up just in time to see Tonks peering worriedly at him.

He coughed embarrassedly, his face flushing. He'd been in the hospital for weeks now, the recent full moon putting a major setback on his recovery. Tonks had been his companion throughout the whole ordeal, and he was, admittedly, glad for her company. She didn't treat him like a dark creature—which surprised him, considering her profession—and she sought him out instead of just standing by the door.

It was, he thought, almost like having a friend again. The thought was both wonderful and terrifying.

Her hair—powder blue tonight, he noticed—fell into her eyes as she leaned over him. "Remus? What's wrong?"

"There's no one here," he said hurriedly. "I'm just—dreaming of the accident, I suppose."

Tonks paused. "Are you all right? I know you're a big, tough Defense nut and all…" She laughed. "But the crash and Sirius… it's all sort of traumatic, isn't it?"

Remus let out a chuckle of his own. He raised an eyebrow. "Defense nut? Maybe, but I could never take Moody's crown." She laughed again, but still looked worried. His eyes softened. "I'm fine, Tonks."

She snorted. "Only people who aren't fine say that they're fine," she grumbled to herself. Then she sighed. "I guess I have to ask you if you remembered anything differently this time?"

Remus thought back to his dream. Aside from the obvious changes since the first few days—all of which he'd told Tonks—there didn't seem to be anything out of the usual, so he shook his head. "No, nothing." He looked over at Tonks. "You can go back to bed, you know—or whatever you were doing out there."

Tonks narrowed her eyes. "Will you be going back to sleep?"

Remus feigned nonchalance as he said, "I'll just be reading, probably. It's nearly sunrise, anyway."

"Well, I'll just be staring at blank walls if I go out there again," she chirped, "so I might just hang out in here, if that's all right with you?"

Remus nodded. "Certainly."

Tonks beamed at him and pulled over a chair, plopping herself down in it. "Right-o, Lupin. Tell me about yourself. It's about time we get to know each other, don't you think?"

Flashes of laughing faces and Animagi flew through his head, and Remus wondered what he could say that wasn't linked to death and betrayal.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Er, well. I was in Gryffindor in school."

Tonks grinned. "I thought you might be—that, or Ravenclaw."

Remus shrugged. "That was the hat's second choice," he admitted.

Tonks laughed. "I was in Hufflepuff, myself. Surprised? Most people are. They think an Auror could only ever be from the Gryffindor stock, especially someone as young as I am."

Remus stretched out in bed, wishing he could get up and move around. He would have, but for the fact that he knew the Healer would make good on his promises of keeping Remus there even longer.

He looked back over at Tonks. "I'd rather have a Hufflepuff Auror than a Gryffindor one, I think," he told her thoughtfully. "James and Sirius were training to be Aurors, did you know? And Frank Longbottom was one. All so rash in battle, and James and Sirius especially let their tempers drive them. It was terrifying, really. A Gryffindor would care a bit more about accomplishing every objective on a mission—a Hufflepuff would be content just to get everyone to safety. If we're sticking to stereotypes, that is."

Tonks was regarding him thoughtfully. "No one's ever thought of it that way," she told him softly. "You know, it's odd—I know that Black's after you, but I forget sometimes why. It's strange to think you knew him so well."

Remus stiffened. "I didn't know about—"

"I know you didn't, Lupin. That's not what I mean." She sighed. "He was—is—my cousin, you know. Well, Mum's really."

Remus swallowed thickly. "I did know that, yeah. He was really excited when he got the letter about your birth… He always loved Andromeda."

Tonks sighed. "I suppose he didn't make life easy for either of us, did he? Everyone obsesses over my relation to him…"

"And the werewolf friend of a convict must be a dark wizard, despite the fact that he was just as close to James Potter and Peter Pettigrew," Remus finished. "It's a bad lot to be given, yeah. But you seem to have done rather well for yourself."

Tonks hummed in agreement before changing the subject. "Anything else you care to share about yourself, Lupin?"

Remus shrugged uncomfortably. "Well, you already know about the worst thing… so there's really not much more to say."

Tonks' hair turned a violent shade of purple. "I don't believe that for a second." She cleared her throat. "Favorite class?"

"Defense," Remus said immediately.

Tonks grinned. "Mine too! Erm… favorite band?"

"Merlin," Remus muttered, sitting back against the pillows. "I have to pick one?"

Tonks lightly hit his shoulder. "Yes, you do. So? What did you choose?"

Remus thought for a minute. "Queen, maybe. Or The Ramones."

"I haven't heard of either of those," Tonks admitted sheepishly.

Remus closed his eyes. "Seventies Muggle bands. You should listen to them." He opened one eye. "Muggles have the best music."

Tonks scoffed. "No chance, mate. The Weird Sisters are the way to go."

Remus groaned. "Really, Nymphadora. You can't honestly believe that."

She shot him an unimpressed look. "Don't call me Nymphadora, Remus." He grinned at her teasingly, and she rolled her eyes at him. "I'll have to take you out for a drink sometime, Lupin. I'll give you real music. Let me show you how it's done."

He shook his head. "You can try, but it won't work. I'm loyal to my generation, thank you."

She kicked his bed playfully, but then her face took on a much more serious expression. She reached over and grabbed his shoulder.

"You're a good man, Remus Lupin," she said, suddenly serious. "I'm really sorry that there are so many people who refuse to see that."

Remus looked away, uncomfortable. "They're right to be afraid."

"No, they're not," Tonks snapped. "They're too dense to realize that what happens once a month doesn't have anything to do with the person you are outside of the full moon."

Remus looked at her curiously. "You and Kingsley… you've never seemed bothered that I'm a werewolf. Why?"

Tonks seemed surprised by the question. "Merlin, I dunno. Mum remembers you coming over, and I suppose she and Dad didn't see any reason to treat you any differently when they found out about it. I was never taught to think that way. And Kingsley and I are close to Moody—he'll talk you up to anyone. 'A damn good soldier'—that's what he calls you. You must have made quite the impression during the war; that's high praise from Moody."

Remus looked down at his lap and cleared his throat. "Thank you."

Tonks was silent for a long moment. Finally, she said, "Black's not getting to you, Lupin. I'll make sure of it."

She was looking at him so intensely that he believed her. WIthout a doubt, he knew that she cared about him—and that he cared about her. The rest of the night passed quickly, though it was more subdued than before.

But he wasn't afraid to talk to her. And after being alone for so long, that was everything to him.

He was driving away from the fallen tree, his heart leaping in his chest every inch the water around him rose. It wasn't very high yet, but it didn't show any signs of stopping. After a while, Remus pulled over; this was getting too dangerous for his tastes.

He leaned back in the seat, shivering. The light of the moon was blocked by the storm clouds above him, and for once he missed the light it emitted. The night seemed almost like a black hole, devoid of everything but darkness.

Remus switched off the car to preserve his petrol, and reached into the back to retrieve a woolen blanket that normally covered the hole in one of the seats. He wrapped it around his shoulders, relishing the warmth.

For a while, all Remus could hear was the storm raging around him. He felt strangely connected to every clash of thunder, every beat of the rain, every flash of light. Turmoil was a thing he understood.

He stared out the window, hoping to catch sight of a sign that would let him know that the rain would stop soon. After a few minutes, Remus sat up straight. A dark figure was making its way through the water, making hardly a ripple in the racing current. The hairs on the back of Remus' neck stood up.

His fingers slowly reached out to grab the door handle, and, after grabbing the umbrella under his seat, he exited the car. He sloshed his way over to the stranger, ready to pull out his wand if necessary.

"Hello?" he shouted. "Who are you?"

Silence. Then a white light emitted from the tip of the stranger's wand, and every pore on Remus' body filled with shock and fear.

"I'm sorry, Remus," Peter Pettigrew shouted, his hand—missing a finger—shaking as he held his wand. "He's out now. And you're the only person who might be able to uncover the truth."

Remus took a step back. "W-Wormtail? This isn't—how are you—"

Peter's hand stilled, and Remus realized that this was not a dream. This was real.

He ran back to his car, hoping the metal shell would be able to protect him from any curses. He turned the keys desperately, beyond relieved when the car roared to life. He sped away from Peter, into the night—

Then the road blew up behind him, and he was suddenly weightless.

Remus gasped as he woke up, shaking and drenched in sweat. His amber eyes were wild with this new revelation, and he realized after a moment that he was shouting for Tonks.

She and Kingsley came running in, alarm on both their faces. Remus gripped Tonks' arm tightly, chest heaving as Kingsley tried desperately to get him to calm down.

"You'll make yourself sick, Lupin, breathe, for Merlin's sake—"

"Remus? Remus calm down, I don't know what you're saying—"

"Peter," Remus gasped. "It wasn't Sirius, it was Peter, he's alive, he—he crashed my car—"

Remus promptly interrupted himself, doubling over and vomiting on the floor.

"Evanesco," Kingsley muttered, vanishing the mess. "Lupin. Start from the beginning."

So he did.

Pain.

That was the first thing he registered when he regained consciousness. Everything was a big haze of pain. He tried to open his eyes, but all he saw was red, so he closed them again. His body hurt like the devil, and he somehow knew, even in this state, that it would be very, very difficult to come back from this.

But James and Lily hadn't come for him yet. At least, he couldn't hear them. All he heard was barking.

Something cool and slick hit his upper arm, and he groaned when whatever had him began pulling him. He cracked his eyes open and was immediately disoriented. Everything was upside down and spinning.

The cool whatever-it-was was suddenly replaced by thin, strong hands. "Come on, Moony. Don't die on me now."

Remus managed to focus on long, limp black hair and grey eyes that had haunted his nightmares for over a decade.

"S-Sirius—"

He let out a strangled cry when his back was twisted the wrong way, and Sirius quickly apologized. "Mate, I'm sorry. I'll explain everything later, but right now I need to get you out of this thing before it catches fire. It's smoking."

That was funny, Remus thought. How was it possible that it was raining and smoking? That didn't make sense, and he almost laughed. He would have, if Sirius didn't look so worried.

Sirius successfully pulled him out of the car window and put him on the ground some distance away. The convict—or was he the friend? Remus couldn't tell at this point—bit his lip. "The Aurors are coming. Contact me when you're well."

And then he was gone, and the world went black once more.

"His trial is tomorrow," Tonks said as a way of greeting. It had been nearly three weeks since Remus was released from St. Mungo's and nearly a month since Peter's capture.

Remus shook out a few painkillers into his hand. They didn't go into effect quite as quickly as a potion would, but they were much cheaper. "That's nice."

Tonks pointed at the medicine. "Headache again?"

He nodded. "Yes."

Tonks blew her purple hair out of her eyes. "Remus, we need to talk about this. You haven't been yourself recently."

"Can you blame me?" He whipped around, hissing when his back gave a twinge of protest. Tonks was still checking up on him every couple of days, even though he was now home. "I just found out that one of friends is alive but a traitor, and the other was sentenced to a life in the worst prison on earth while I just sat there feeling sorry for myself."

Tonks didn't flinch. "This isn't your fault."

Remus swallowed the pills harder than necessary. "I failed him. I failed everybody, in the end."

"If it weren't for you, Peter would still be running free, and Sirius would still be hunted!"

"I should have done something to help him!"

Tonks marched right up to him and grasped his shoulders. "There was nothing you could have done. Nothing, Remus. This was out of your hands."

Remus' shoulders slumped, and he bowed his head. "What if he hates me? Sirius, I mean." he whispered.

Tonks' dark eyes were fierce. "Then he's an idiot, looking for someone to blame other than himself."

Remus sighed. "Easy for you to say. You never knew him—I couldn't stand it if he hated me, knowing how much we once met to each other…"

"I wouldn't care what he thought of me because we're friends, Remus. And whatever he says, I wouldn't want the good opinion of someone who disliked you, anyway."

Slowly, Remus nodded. "You've helped me a lot these past few months," he murmured. "More than you could know. Thank you, Tonks."

Tonks smiled. "It's been my pleasure, Remus."

Sle slipped her hand into his and began pulling him out the door. "Come on. Let's go get a drink—to new beginnings."

New beginnings. He could have them, he realized suddenly. They weren't out of his reach.

He looked down at their intertwined hands. Tonks caught his look and shot him one of defiance, as though daring him to unlace their fingers. People would talk, he knew. But he'd wanted another war to fight.

Maybe she was it.

Or maybe he was getting ahead of himself. "I'm up for a drink," he allowed.

Her answering grin was blinding. "Then come on, Lupin. Time waits for no man."

Sirius and Peter—they could wait. Tonight belonged to him.

A/N:

Writing Club:

Assorted Appreciation: 5. Alice Longbottom — Write about a lengthy stay in a hospital

Disney Challenge: Songs 4. Can You Feel The Love Tonight — Write about someone falling in love

Book Club: Nathan — (occupation) Healer, (trait) supportive, (item) pills

Showtime: 15. Flying Away — (genre) hurt/comfort

Amber's Attic: 1. Agondice — Write about a Healer (5 bonus points)

Love in Motion: Het: RemusTonks

Sophie's Shelf: 10. Write about destructive weather

Em's Emporium: 7. Alt. (dialogue) "What did you choose?"

Liza's Lodes: 1. Star Sign: Gemini — Write about someone restless

Angel's Arcade: 3. Sheik — (color) powder blue, (action) jumping, (dialogue) "Let me show you how it's done."

Bex's Basement: 1. Harold Shipman — Write about a Healer

Fortnightly:

Women's History: 14. Nymphadora Tonks — Write about someone who doesn't care about others' opinions of them

Cabin Fever: Signs 4. Write about someone suffering from a chronic illness

Alphabetti Spaghetti: (spell) evanesco

Insane House Challenge: 230. (dialogue) "Only people who aren't fine say that they're fine."